Students’ Perceived Heat-Health Symptoms Increased with Warmer Classroom Temperatures

Temperatures in Africa are expected to increase by the end of the century. Heat-related health impacts and perceived health symptoms are potentially a problem, especially in public schools with limited resources. Students (n = 252) aged ~14–18 years from eight high schools completed an hourly heat-health symptom log over 5 days. Data loggers measured indoor classroom temperatures. A high proportion of students felt tired (97.2%), had low concentration (96.8%) and felt sleepy (94.1%) during at least one hour on any day. There were statistically significant correlations, when controlling for school cluster effect and time of day, between indoor temperatures ≥32 °C and students who felt tired and found it hard to breathe. Consistently higher indoor classroom temperatures were observed in classrooms constructed of prefabricated asbestos sheeting with corrugated iron roof and converted shipping container compared to brick classrooms. Longitudinal studies in multiple seasons and different classroom building types are needed.

[1]  J. Katzfey,et al.  Projections of rapidly rising surface temperatures over Africa under low mitigation , 2015 .

[2]  Cinzia Buratti,et al.  Adaptive analysis of thermal comfort in university classrooms: Correlation between experimental data and mathematical models , 2009 .

[3]  Kristian Fabbri,et al.  IAQ evaluation in kindergarten: the Italian case of Asilo Diana. , 2014 .

[4]  Are environmental conditions in South African classrooms conducive for learning , 2013 .

[5]  Ruey Lung Hwang,et al.  Field experiments on thermal comfort in campus classrooms in Taiwan , 2006 .

[6]  P. Landrigan,et al.  Children's Vulnerability to Environmental Exposures: Science and Social Justice Global Climate Change and Children's Health: Threats and Strategies for Prevention , 2022 .

[7]  W. Landman,et al.  Regional Projections of Extreme Apparent Temperature Days in Africa and the Related Potential Risk to Human Health , 2015, International journal of environmental research and public health.

[8]  Marco Filippi,et al.  Perception of the thermal environment in high school and university classrooms: Subjective preferences and thermal comfort , 2007 .

[9]  D P Wyon,et al.  The effects of indoor air quality on performance and productivity. , 2004, Indoor air.

[10]  Pawel Wargocki,et al.  The effects of classroom air temperature and outdoor air supply rate on performance of school work by children , 2005 .

[11]  J. Díaz,et al.  Mortality attributable to extreme temperatures in Spain: A comparative analysis by city. , 2016, Environment international.

[12]  K. Fabbri,et al.  Indoor Thermal Comfort Perception , 2015 .

[13]  Ruey Lung Hwang,et al.  Linking occupants’ thermal perception and building thermal performance in naturally ventilated school buildings , 2012 .

[14]  S. Hajat,et al.  Heat stress and public health: a critical review. , 2008, Annual review of public health.

[15]  Nyuk Hien Wong,et al.  Thermal comfort in classrooms in the tropics , 2003 .

[16]  H. Yokota,et al.  [Risk factors of heatstroke]. , 2012, Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine.

[17]  M. Bell,et al.  The impact of temperature on mortality in a subtropical city: effects of cold, heat, and heat waves in São Paulo, Brazil , 2015, International Journal of Biometeorology.

[18]  Ken Parsons,et al.  Human Thermal Environments , 1993 .

[19]  Kristian Fabbri,et al.  Thermal comfort evaluation in kindergarten: PMV and PPD measurement through datalogger and questionnaire , 2013 .

[20]  J. Rocklöv,et al.  Heat impact on schoolchildren in Cameroon, Africa: potential health threat from climate change , 2010, Global health action.

[21]  Standard Ashrae.  Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy , 1992 .

[22]  Eusébio Z. E. Conceição,et al.  Application of a developed adaptive model in the evaluation of thermal comfort in ventilated kindergarten occupied spaces , 2012 .

[23]  T. S. Jones,et al.  Risk factors for heatstroke. A case-control study. , 1982, JAMA.